Germany statutory health insurance sickness benefits
Germany statutory health insurance sickness benefits stood at 21,632.91 EUR million in 2025, according to Deutsche Bundesbank. It is one of the indicators in the Public finances (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2000 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Public finances (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheme, expenditure, total | 352,889.96 | 328,743.52 | 309,596.45 | 310,594.3 | 294,601.71 | 275,268.34 | 252,439.92 | 239,706.44 | 230,772.87 | 222,935.54 | |
| Scheme, expenditure, sickness benefits | 21,632.91 | 20,546.53 | 19,112.35 | 17,947.27 | 16,612.4 | 15,956.09 | 14,401.58 | 13,090.01 | 12,281.48 | 11,676.99 | |
| Scheme, expenditure, medical treatment | 56,052.44 | 52,246.13 | 49,047.15 | 46,378.78 | 45,058.14 | 44,130.97 | 41,540.98 | 39,967.55 | 38,791.82 | 37,299.9 |
Understanding germany statutory health insurance sickness benefits
Income replacement transfers paid to individuals unable to work due to prolonged illness form the entirety of this expenditure line. It quantifies the cash disbursements distributed by the statutory funds to compensate for lost wages once employer-mandated sick pay periods expire. Unlike the parallel expenditure categories that track payments to clinics or pharmacies for physical medical services, this metric exclusively monitors direct financial assistance to patients, bridging the gap between healthcare provisioning and broader social welfare support.
Annual totals should be compared on a year-on-year basis to accurately assess changes in workforce health, as seasonal variations in infectious diseases heavily skew quarterly dynamics but are smoothed out over a full calendar cycle. Final figures are robust, though retroactive approvals for long-term disability claims can prompt minor historical revisions. A critical element for analysts to consider is the legislative framework governing these payouts; changes to the duration of employer liability or the statutory replacement rate will directly impact this series independently of the actual morbidity rate in the population.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this cover the initial sick pay provided by employers?
- No, it only tracks the insurance payouts that commence after the employer's statutory continuation of wage payments concludes.
- Are disability pensions included in this total?
- Long-term disability pensions are handled by the statutory pension scheme, not the health insurance funds tracked here.
- Is maternity pay captured within this specific category?
- Maternity benefits are typically classified as a distinct expenditure line separate from standard sickness compensation.